Locked Heart
by Angel of Fate1
Summary: An incomplete Guardian living as a normal girl. She is the spring spirit, well known as the Queen of May, but her potential has yet to show. Then again, how can she prove herself when she's a wallflower? -eventual Jack Frost x OC-
1. A Vow Under the Rain

Hitomi: Hello! I watched Rise of the Guardians a few days ago and it inspired me to write this fic.

After researching and gathering ideas from friends for the past few days... I finally got around to writing this.

Also, I'm making it clear that this is after Pitch was defeated, so that means Jack Frost is already considered a Guardian. This'll be a Jack x OC story since I feel neutral towards Jack x Tooth.

T.T And excuse my OOC-ness from here on out! I'm not too confident here, so please forgive me!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

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**Disclaimer****: **I don't own Rise of the Guardians and Guardians of Childhood. They're owned by Dreamworks and William Joyce. I only own my character and the plot here.

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**Locked Heart**

**I**

**A Vow Under the Rain**

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As far as she remembered from the life she lived so far, there was always that feeling of mystery she sensed. What it meant wasn't clear, but there was no doubt this was from encountering the Guardians a few times since she was a child. It couldn't be her imagination or a coincidence, so she had accepted it normally, though she pretended not to acknowledge them. She was pretty sure people would talk if they heard this bit of information and label her as insane.

Not that it mattered. She was already considered an outcast.

She knew society would say such figures only existed in stories. That much, she knew about for it was common sense. To her, though she was no longer a kid, she still believed. All of this time, she still believed what was unseen. Because of this, she was often locked away within herself, the reason being reality was too painful to deal with.

As Lily walked in the downpour on the way home with nothing to cover her, she was trying not to recall what happened earlier in school. Alas, her mind was playing the recent incident like a song on repeat. She still heard the stinging taunts of her bullies, the shouts of whoever stood up for her and against them. She still felt pain somewhere on her body from being shoved onto the floor repeatedly.

_Yet another bruise somewhere, I'm sure._ It better not be big. She thought with a sigh, fighting back a wince. _And then... It happened again._

She can still see with vivid clarity the wide eyes and open mouths of her adversaries and her would-be saviors. They saw Lily surrounded with vines out of nowhere, all poised to attack. Shouts and cries, followed by running footsteps, were heard while she struggled to keep her not-so-secret power under control. Though barely successful in holding them back, her reputation was stained once more.

_"What are you? Freak!"_

_"Monster!"_

_"You're so abnormal!"_

She knew this happened whenever she was unable to put up with her torment in silence any longer, but it was also a risk for her.

For who would be a friend towards someone who wasn't exactly normal?

_I swear when I start another new year..._ She clenched a fist, her eyes shining with unshed tears. I'll be someone new. _I want to be able to be a different person. Someone who can be normal for a change._

_But is there any hope for me?_

Lily didn't watch her step as she tripped, falling onto her face first, the concrete taking her fall. She didn't bother getting up, staying there as she whimpered softly to herself. She was unsure if her tears fell or it was only the rain, but it didn't matter either way because nobody was going to hear her.

From somewhere far away, five pairs of eyes watched over her in the shadows. Then, like a dream, they disappeared.


	2. The Wallflower's Dilemma

Hitomi: Hello! For those who favorited and followed this story, thank you very much!

I'm also letting you know that I've replaced the prologue with this story's first chapter. So, what you're about to read in a moment is the second chapter, actually.

I need to make an apology, though. I apologize if things are going slow/boring for this story, especially this chapter (which was surprisingly hard to write due to Lily's personality). However, I hope this won't put you to sleep or drive you away since the Guardians will popping in officially soon.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, despite... Well, how boring it may be since not a lot's happened **yet**. But don't worry~ With the Guardians' help, I'm sure Lily will be able to overcome anything in no time.

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**Disclaimer****: **I don't own Rise of the Guardians and Guardians of Childhood. They're owned by Dreamworks and William Joyce. I only own my character and the plot here.

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**Locked Heart**

**II**

**The Wallflower's Dilemma**

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Warmth was fading little by little, leaves of red, yellow, and brown falling. It was already the time again for the students to start another school year.

In her case, it was the start of a new chapter in life as she was officially a high school student. Her hair had grown out some, falling to the middle of her back while her bangs were long enough to cover her eyes. She threw on whatever she wanted to wear and today was no exception. Though she had her occasional refinement, she thought better to tone down her appearance.

_I should be able to fit in._ Lily Hawthorn thought while walking in the school corridors. _I came here, so nobody would know about my past or who I am. It's better that way._

The memories flashed through her mind and she clenched her fist as a reminder, as a sign to stop them.

_Don't think about it, Lily. Don't think about it. Remember you're here now, as a high school student. You have another chance._

Stopping in front of a classroom door, Lily took a deep breath, letting herself stay put in the present to come out of the past. Then, as quiet as the wind outside, she turned the doorknob and stepped inside to the unknown waiting.

By fifth period, it was lunchtime for the students. For Lily, she had ate quickly and spent the rest of her break in the library. As expected, it was quiet, so it gave her a sense of belonging for she found herself poring through books.

_It's nice to escape through reading._ She thought with a sniff, contemplating about the day's events as she thumbed through a page of a book about the hidden language of flowers. _My day hasn't gone well, as expected..._

It was hard to adjust here, something Lily wasn't able to keep her mind off of. The school was bigger than her last one and there were so many students. She saw how students chattered with one another as if they were longtime friends. Others who were just as new as her were able to form bonds with each other quickly before she even batted an eye. All she could do by then was watch with a blank stare on her face, sensing the lively, warm atmosphere.

She felt her face heat up, a sure blush showing. Shaking her head, she only made a heavy sigh, her expression as heavy as stone.

_I don't know if I want to continue, even though I have to._

The sound of the bell echoed from outside the room. Absentmindedly, she still kept the book of the flower language in her hand as she stood up. Going to the librarian's desk, she handed over the library card that she took from the book's back with her name printed on a slot without a sound. Then, as quietly as she came, she strolled out to head to her next class.

Walking from school to go to a bus stop, Lily hung her head and kept her gaze at the ground. As if by second nature, she avoided the grass, shrubbery, and anything associated with plants when she happened to be around them. After all, the plants were at the cycle when they would wilt and die. The last thing she needed was attention just because the reversal happened instead.

_I couldn't do anything, after all._ She felt her heart shrinking at this thought, thinking back on what happened while she boarded the bus, paid her fare, and took a seat by the window. She heard a couple of snickers and whispers when she was trying to introduce herself in her classes. She couldn't tell who was trying to be friendly towards her for they all seemed to judge her silently with their eyes, whether she looked at them or not. Her heartbeat was fast all day long, so it was hard for her to truly concentrate, and she avoided all eye contact as much as possible. _I guess their first impression of me is a weirdo, a mute, though I wouldn't know._

_Maybe I can't change._ A painful lump went up Lily's throat at that one thought, her chest tightening. _I'm not good at all._ _Maybe if I had a different personality, I could be normal._

Once she got off at her stop, she walked a few blocks until she reached her house. As she unlocked the door and went inside, she went straight to her room upstairs to remove her bag and changed clothes. Going onto her bed once done, she took a small harp that rested against the wall, embracing it for a moment.

_I wonder who can understand me_. She plucked the instrument's strings with a finesse that came with years of practice, letting the music flow out into her solitary world. The potted plants she had at her window sill looked like they were listening to her song; swaying to an invisible wind for the room's windows were sealed shut to keep the chill out. In a strange, fascinating way, they were alive as small but numerous voices chorused to her notes. She felt her stiff posture relax when she heard the usual noise, her gaze faraway. _Is it even possible?_

_What would the Guardians think of me? If I were to see them now, though it's been years, what would they say? It is expected as a teenager to not believe in fairytales and stories, but..._

_Is it okay, the way things are now?_

As she kept running her fingers through the strings, the plants kept singing on.

From outside the window, two pairs of wide eyes watched on. One pair was colored a leaf green, the other amber. Both of the owners nodded a silent agreement.

It was time to contact the other Guardians about this case.


	3. Not What it Seems

Hitomi: Hey guys! Been getting a lot of notifications in my e-mail inbox on how you added this story to favorites and follows. Thank you so very much! I'm sorry it took so long to write this chapter. Things have been going on, holidays were here, and... To be truthful, I really had a hard time writing this chapter.

:P Believe me when I say I was tiptoeing as far as the Guardians' personalities are concerned. I didn't want OOCness, so I was taking my time with my writing. Forgive me if I ended up making them OOC here. On top of that, I finally got around to reading Guardians of Childhood (loved it to bits), so I got some insight on how the Guardians-namely North, Bunnymund, and Toothiana-are like. Also, I am sticking with both Guardians of Childhood and Rise of the Guardians canon, despite the fact GoC is still incomplete.

I would like to also mention there are slight spoilers mentioned here from Guardians of Childhood, although some context from there has been left up to speculation since GoC isn't finished yet. You've been warned.

Anyway, enjoy, guys!

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**Disclaimer****: **I don't own Rise of the Guardians and Guardians of Childhood. They're owned by Dreamworks and William Joyce. I only own my character and the plot here.

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**Locked Heart**

**III**

**Not What it Seems**

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All of the Guardians had been gathered at Bunnymund's Warren. Once, they were all together because of Pitch. Now, they met for an entirely different reason.

"So, Bunnymund? What's this all about?" Nicholas St. North asked, a small frown sent the Pooka's way. "If we're all here, then it's an emergency, yes?"

"It's a precaution, if anything else, mate." E. Aster Bunnymund said in a low voice, his whiskers twitching. "I've called you all here because Sandy and I had been sent a message from the Man in the Moon himself just recently. We've been doing a little investigating, regarding... Someone."

"Tsar Lunar spoke to you? Why, has Pitch...?" Toothiana's eyes were wide, but her stance was solid, albeit a second away from springing into action. "After everything that's happened, surely-"

Sanderson "Sandy" McSnoozie shook his head in confirmation, cutting her off in silence, his face betraying nothing of the sort had happened.

"Then, what is it? We won't be able to know if you don't say what's going on, so out with it." Jackson "Jack" Frost scowled, tapping his foot.

"Keep cool, Frostbite." Sensing his comrade's agitation, the Pooka gave him an even glance. "I'm getting to it, but I'm unsure on how to tell you. You may find this a little strange, so I think I'll leave it to Sandy to fill you in. It's hard to explain because, crikey, even I can hardly believe it. I never thought..."

As Bunnymund trailed off, the rest of the Guardians were all eyes on the Guardian of Dreams, waiting. Then, without missing a beat, Sandy began his work of forming images above his head to communicate with them. What unfolded first was a very familiar scene: a sand girl surrounded by thorns and vines, ready to assault other sand people nearby. Shortly, this was followed by a question mark.

This got their attention and it all showed for their eyes went wide. They remembered, all right. A girl-no less, a **MORTAL** girl-surrounded with thorns and vines out of nowhere? Who could forget such an auspicious occurrence? They all felt that power emitting, a power that was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Then, they remembered how she fell to the concrete under the rain, crying all alone. What was there to say about such a heartbreaking thing? Of course they had concluded the girl must've meant no harm at all, judging from how she had lowered her head to keep her eyes on the ground, flinching as she silently took in her peers' insults and accusations afterwards.

Then, Sandy let that dissolve and showed his three comrades another scene, one they hadn't witnessed. The same girl was now holding a harp, surrounded by golden plants. As that miniature female plucked her instrument, the flora began singing. North, Tooth, and Jack were sharing incredulous or dazed looks by now when seeing this.

"Now, do you understand?" Bunnymund's voice broke the silence and the trio turned to him, Sandy erasing the image. The Pooka's expression was sharp as his comrades' blades as he gave all of them strong eye contact. "The Man in the Moon suspects something about this girl. The question now has to be asked: what if she's... One of us?"

"If that's so, there needs to be an explanation why, at least." Tooth shuffled her feet, glancing at her companions to seek out on what they thought. "Katherine was once only a human child when she became a Guardian, but she still grew up to be a young woman and needed to find her center before gaining immortality. Then, Pitch's daughter being Mother Nature was another mystery that needed to be unraveled as we didn't know her intentions at the time. But a Guardian? At this day and age?"

"If not a Guardian (for only Tsar Lunar can deem it so), then a spirit like Jack, no doubt." North nodded, his eyes holding an almost uncharacteristic sternness to them. "And judging from what we've seen of this girl... Unlike Jack, it seems she doesn't have full control of her power just yet. That will spell trouble for her as well as everyone else around her. We have to act fast."

"Didn't I always tell you in the old days not to be hasty, North?" Bunnymund shook his head, a small grin on his face. "But in all seriousness, I think we should be careful about this. Remember, this is a girl we've crossed paths with since her childhood, but we don't know what she's really like. On top of that, we don't know if she believes in us or not this whole time."

"Then..." Tooth's eyes held a faraway expression in them. "What should we do?"

"We wait and give a bit more time. And if anything else happens with this girl, then we'll go after her."

All seemed to have agreed with this, albeit some did so reluctantly. However, Jack kept quiet and gripped his staff, his brow furrowed.

_That girl..._ He mused, flashbacks of a younger blonde girl entering his mind. _It's her, isn't it? It's been a while since I saw her last let alone watched over her during winter. Nonetheless..._

_I hope she forgives me for not seeing her for a long time._ There was a sinking feeling in his stomach now. _Would she hold it against me? Has she... Stopped believing in me?_

_Wait for a little longer... Lily. I'll come back to you soon!_

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Hitomi: Just to confirm here, concerning the GoC spoilers, Katherine, although we don't know her center, has been implied to be Mother Goose (even TVTropes said so). Hence her position as a Guardian.

Also... Yes, there's a hint that Jack knows Lily more than he lets on. In what way, I can't say. BUT I can assure you it won't be clichéd. ;) (Or so I hope. *crosses fingers*)


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